Motown Masterpieces
Washington Black, Ann Arbor Adventure, Four Tops, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Snow Light and the Five Bulbs
Welcome to my weekly newsletter. This week’s issue features five favorite Motown hits of 1966, a Man Booker Prize Finalist, five stops, Four Tops, the Greek Freak, and some light snow. I hope you like the picks and pics.
Fave Five 63: Motown Masterpieces. Essential Esi Edugyan (Washington Black), Ann Arbor Adventure (El Limōn, Spiedo, Fat Daddy's HOT Chicken & Waffles, Amer’s Deli, Ricewood), Masterful Motown Men (Four Tops), Milwaukee’s Main Man (Giannis Antetokounmpo), and Snow Light and the Five Bulbs.
Fave Five List: Favorite Motown Songs of ‘66
Last week’s list featured American bands from the Summer of Love. Here are five Motown hits from the year before, with the 1966 Billboard Hot 100 singles ranking and the peak chart spot the song reached that year.
Reach Out I'll Be There - Four Tops (this issue’s Marvelous Musicians) #5 (reached #1)
You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes #13 (reached #1)
Ain't Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations #39 (reached #13)
Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder #51 (reached #3)
My World Is Empty Without You - The Supremes #72 (reached #5)
Honorable Mention: You Keep Me Hangin' On - The Supremes (reached #1)
1966 Hot 100 Singles Playlist
Book Best Bet
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
This book was fascinating. The review by Simon Sebag Montefiore of The Wall Street Journal captures my sentiments about it:
Exuberant and spellbinding. The novel is not only harrowing and poignant in its portrayal of the horrors of slavery on a Caribbean plantation but liberating, too, in its playful shattering of the usual tropes. The result is a book about freedom that’s both heartbreaking and joyfully invigorating.
From Amazon: Eleven-year-old George Washington Black—or Wash—a field slave on a Barbados sugar plantation, is initially terrified when he is chosen as the manservant of his master’s brother. To his surprise, however, the eccentric Christopher Wilde turns out to be a naturalist, explorer, inventor, and abolitionist. Soon Wash is initiated into a world where a flying machine can carry a man across the sky, where even a boy born in chains may embrace a life of dignity and meaning, and where two people, separated by an impossible divide, can begin to see each other as human.
But when a man is killed and a bounty is placed on Wash’s head, they must abandon everything and flee together. Over the course of their travels, what brings Wash and Christopher together will tear them apart, propelling Wash ever farther across the globe in search of his true self. Spanning the Caribbean to the frozen Far North, London to Morocco, Washington Black is a story of self-invention and betrayal, of love and redemption, and of a world destroyed and made whole again.
An Amazon Best Book of September 2018: Washington Black is that rarest of novels: a hybrid that knows exactly what it is. The story begins as an antebellum novel about Wash, an 11-year-old slave working on a Barbados plantation run by a sadistic master. When Christopher, the master’s brother, takes Wash under his wing and teaches him to read, the novel turns more toward adventure and scientific exploration. There are inventions, twists, and turns; there is danger and intrigue; there is travel and growth.
What holds everything together is author Esi Edugyan’s writing chops. She is a precise writer who has created a world that seems whole and all-embracing. Her characters are fully realized human beings. The weight of personal freedom is a theme that winds through the book, as does the opposing weight of cultural and societal expectations. There is so much to digest here, and so much to enjoy, that readers may well be tempted to read this book twice. — Chris Schluep, Amazon Book Review
Esi Edugyan
From The Canadian Encyclopedia: Esi Edugyan (born 1978 in Calgary, Alebrta) is a Ghanaian Canadian novelist whose work has become an influential part of the Canadian literary canon. Imbued with an interest in Black histories and the Black diaspora, her novels explore ideas of nation and belonging — to new and old cultures and countries, to “here” and “away,” to the present and the past. They also examine the effects of Black migration and the resulting presence of Black subjects in predominantly white societies. Her novels Half-Blood Blues (2011) and Washington Black (2018) both won the Scotiabank Giller Prize, making her only the third writer (with Alice Munro and M.J. Vassanji) to win the award twice.
Restaurant Recommendations
Ann Arbor Adventure
After reading 11 New Restaurants and Bars to Check Out in Ann Arbor in Eater Detroit, I suggested to my friends Mark Mitra and Kyle Johnson that we go on a food crawl to check out some of them. One week ago, we headed to Ann Arbor to do so. We agreed to split everything three ways to allow sampling as many restaurants as possible without filling up, and we succeeded. We tried 3 of the 11 recommended spots, and called audibles to visit two others (Amer’s Deli and Ricewood). All of the food was to our liking.
1. El Limōn 2709 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Chicken Shawarma Burrito with jalapeno garlic
From Eater Detroit: The flavors of Mexico and Lebanon meet at this north side taqueria. Diners can enjoy tacos or burritos along with a Fattoush salad, all of which are halal friendly.
2. Spiedo 307 S 5th Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Zhoug Knight: spit roasted marinated chicken, zhoug, half sours, rolled in freshly griddled bread with Spiedo sauce, pickled onions and shredded napa cabbage.
From Eater Detroit: Chef Brad Greenhill’s Spiedo has finally opened in the same space where his Corktown mainstay Takoi first opened as a pop-up in 2016. Armed with only a rotisserie and a griddle, the team puts out an innovative menu and spice-heavy flatbread wraps and salads with flavors that take inspiration from Italy, the Middle East, Mexico, and East Asia.
3. Amer’s Deli 314 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
From the Chicago Reds Menu: Classic Italian Beef. Premium thinly sliced, hot roast beef dipped in our house made Italian gravy and served on an authentic Gonnella French roll. Hot (topped with real Vienna giardiniera). Wet (a little extra gravy).
From the restaurant: With our combination of an exceptional menu, quality products, generous portions, and competitive prices and friendly service, Amer's has won numerous awards in the Ann Arbor and greater Metro Detroit areas. We have been voted "Best Sandwich", "Best Deli", "Best Coffee", "Best Restaurant", and "Best Juice Bar" and are consistently mentioned by publications such as the Michigan Daily, Ann Arbor Observer, Ann Arbor News, Metro Times, and Oakland Jewish News. We've also received national recognition by Menus Today Magazine and Restaurant Magazine. Amer's has become an Ann Arbor destination point, a place to visit and revisit again and again.
4. Fat Daddy's HOT Chicken & Waffles 411 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Little Daddy: Boneless chicken, daddy's coleslaw, comeback sauce and pickles. Served on a toasted buttered brioche bun with spice level Hot.
From Eater Detroit: The popular Detroit-area chicken and waffle joint has opened its second location in downtown Ann Arbor. Fat Daddy’s specializes in Nashville hot chicken, available in five spice levels with different sandwich toppings such as coleslaw, mac and cheese, or sweet ranch served on a brioche bun.
5. Ricewood: a barbecue joint in York: 1928 Packard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Half-pound of pork belly
Half-pound of brisket
From The 25 best barbecue restaurants in the Detroit area, according to Yelp:
#1. Ricewood — Dan M. on Yelp: I don't give out five-star reviews very easily. Ricewood consistently delivers competition-level BBQ. Their brisket is top notch and their pulled pork melts in your mouth. And their pork belly burnt ends are excellent. Go there — you will not regret it!
Marvelous Musicians
The first Four Tops hits that I heard were in 1967: “Standing in the Shadows of Love," "Bernadette," and "7-Rooms of Gloom." When I heard "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" from 1965 and "Reach Out I'll Be There" from 1966, the Four Tops became my favorite Motown group. "Bernadette" stands out as a vocal tour de force by Levi Stubbs. I saw the original lineup perform live at a Digital Equipment Corporation Circle of Excellence event in the late 1980s.
From Wikipedia: The Four Tops are a vocal quartet from Detroit who helped to define the city's Motown sound of the 1960s. The group's repertoire has included soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes. Founded as the Four Aims, lead singer Levi Stubbs, Duke Fakir, Obie Benson and Lawrence Payton remained together for over four decades, performing from 1953 until 1997 without a change in personnel.
The Four Tops were among a number of groups who established the Motown Sound heard around the world during the 1960s. They were notable for having Levi Stubbs, a baritone, as their lead singer, whereas most other male and mixed vocal groups of the time were fronted by a tenor. The group was the main male vocal group for the highly successful songwriting and production team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, who crafted a stream of hit singles for Motown.
Levi Stubbs (born Levi Stubbles, June 6, 1936-October 17, 2008)
Abdul "Duke" Fakir (December 26, 1935-July 22, 2024)
Renaldo "Obie" Benson (June 14, 1936-July 1, 2005)
Lawrence Albert Payton (March 2, 1938-June 20, 1997)
Reach Out I'll Be There
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)
Bernadette
Sports Star
Last night, Giannis scored 64 points in Milwaukee’s 140-126 win over Indiana, a career high and a Bucks record. He did it without shooting a single 3-pointer. He’s the first to score 60 without a 3 since Shaquille O’Neal did it in 2000.
Giannis currently ranks 3rd in the NBA in scoring this season (32.0), 6th in rebounding (10.8), and 8th in field goal percentage (62.3%). Starting with the 2016-17 season, he has averaged 22.9, 26.9, 27.7, 29.5, 28.1, 29.9, 31.1, and 32.0 points per game. His career scoring average is 22.9.
From Wikipedia: Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo (born Adétòkunbọ̀ on December 6, 1994 in Athens, Greece) is a Nigerian-Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His country of origin, in addition to his size, speed, strength, and ball-handling skills have earned him the nickname "Greek Freak". He is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards and one of the greatest European players of all time.
Born and raised in Athens to Nigerian parents, Antetokounmpo began playing basketball for the youth teams of Filathlitikos in Athens. In 2011, he began playing for the club's senior team before entering the 2013 NBA draft, where he was selected 15th overall by the Bucks. In 2016–17 he led the Bucks in all five major statistical categories and became the first player in NBA history to finish a regular season in the top 20 in all five statistics of total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He received the Most Improved Player award in 2017. Antetokounmpo has received seven All-Star selections, including being selected as an All-Star captain in 2019, 2020 and 2023 as he led the Eastern Conference in voting in these three years.
One of the most decorated players in NBA history, Antetokounmpo won consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Awards in 2019 and 2020, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to win two MVPs before turning 26. Along with his MVP award, he was also named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, becoming only the third player after Michael Jordan (1988) and Hakeem Olajuwon (1994) to win both awards in the same season. In 2021, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their first NBA championship since 1971 and was named Finals MVP. The same year, he was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
The film Rise, based on the life of Antetokounmpo and his family, was released in 2022. His brother Thanasis made his NBA debut with the New York Knicks after being drafted by the organization with the 51st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. He is now with the Milwaukee Bucks. His younger brother, Kostas, played college basketball for Dayton before being selected with the last pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He went on to win the 2020 NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2021, Kostas signed with ASVEL Basket, part of the French Betclic Élite and the Euroleague. Their youngest brother, Alex, played high school basketball in the US before becoming a professional basketball player.
Every one of his 64 points last night
Picture Pun
The forecast called for light snow.
Looking forward to trying some of the food recommendations in Ann Arbor. Love the Motown spotlight! Thank you!